William A. Ward

Mr. William A. Ward, age 84, of Linton Road, Sandersville, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 28, 2026, at his residence following an extended illness, surrounded by his loved ones. A funeral service to celebrate his life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, October 2, in the chapel of May and Smith Funeral Home, with burial to follow in Washington County Memorial Gardens. William's son-in-law, Clint Hancock, and other family members will officiate. Pallbearers will be Reggie Burks, Caleb Ward, Josh Ward, Chance Hancock, Seth Graham and Clay Greene. The family will receive friends at the funeral home beginning at 1:00 p.m., prior to the service.

William was born and reared in Mt. Vernon, Georgia, the son of the late Alex Ward and Maybell Cooper Ward. He graduated from Montgomery County High School, where he excelled in football, basketball and track. Though short in stature, he was strong, fast and a force to be reckoned with, and he left behind a high school track record. After high school, William moved to the Atlanta area and went to work in construction with his brother Radine. It was there that he met his wife, Charlotte. They settled in the Stone Mountain area, where they raised their four children. To provide for his family, William owned and operated several successful drywall and construction businesses. He later owned and operated W.A.W. Underground Construction, which worked nationally until his retirement.

William and Charlotte, his wife of 59 years, eventually left the big city for Monticello, Georgia, where they lived for 20 years. That was the home where they hosted the whole family for memorable holidays and other special occasions. Their last move brought them to Sandersville to be near family.

William took pride in everything he owned and in the way he presented himself. He was always neatly dressed in freshly pressed clothes with a Western, outdoorsman style that was all his own. His pickup trucks were always spotless, and he fixed them up with fine accessories that made them stand out. His home was neat and orderly, and every tool in his garage had its place. He believed in buying quality and taking care of it.

William and Charlotte loved to bowl and were in a league together. His favorite pastime was fishing, especially for crappie and bream, whether on a pond or a river. He also loved dove hunting, and collecting firearms was a lifelong passion. An avid NBA fan, he stayed up late most nights watching every game he could, and every Sunday he watched the NASCAR race. He loved cutting up with his grandchildren, and nothing pleased him more than ruffling their feathers. He treasured the time he spent with his many lifelong friends. Later in life, William was baptized at Jordan Mill Pond in 1995. He knew Jesus as his Lord and Savior and read his Bible regularly.

In addition to his parents, William was preceded in death by his wife, Charlotte Fussell Ward; his oldest son, William Brett Ward; and his siblings, Lorene "Sister" Ward, Radine Ward and Betty W. Patrick.

Survivors include his children, Molly Renee Ward of Winder, Jeff Ward of Dublin, and Tammy Ward Hancock and her husband, Clint, of Sandersville; his daughter-in-law, Lisa Ward, and her husband, John, of Palm Coast, Florida; his grandchildren, Cody Ward, Amber (Dave) Weibel, Caylee (Cory) Hancock Wright, Caleb (Kayley) Ward, Jordan (Seth) Hancock Graham, Joshua (Gia) Ward, Chance Hancock and Charlotte "Charlee" Tullis; eight great-grandchildren; and his brother, Bobby Joe Ward, and his wife, Joanne, of Mt. Vernon.

The family may be contacted at the home of Tammy and Clint Hancock, 179 Walden Road, Sandersville.

Online condolences may be left at mayandsmithfuneraldirectors.com.

May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements.